Known are methods for voting and systems therefor which perform the count of “pros” and “cons” using specific electronic devices, and determine their percentage ratio (see, for example, USSR Author's Certificate, 1539811, Int. Cl. G 07 C 13/00, 1990; Russian Patent 2015570, Int. Cl. G 07 C 13/00, 1994).
The closest analogue by its technical essence and the result achieved is the method for carrying out vote and the electronic system for implementing thereof including a precinct system comprising a central processor and electronic ballots connected to said central processor by electronic interface circuits. The precinct system, in turn, can be connected to higher level systems: city, county, state, country. Said systems communicate via telecommunication network and modems connected to the central processors of corresponding systems, and all the data being transmitted are encrypted.
Secrecy of the vote in said precinct system is ensured by using for voting a special electronic key card being provided individually to each voter. Every such card has a unique number which is generated by the precinct system, and is used only once. This number is recorded onto a magnetic stripe of the electronic key card using a corresponding writing device connected to the central processor of the system.
The precinct system voting is carried out as follows. A voter accesses any of electronic ballots with the help of his/her electronic key card and makes his/her choice. After the voter removes his/her card from the ballot, the system makes a record in its database according to the fact of this voting and then initializes this ballot for the next vote. The voting data are real-time displayed on the monitors of system operators and precinct observers, and are also transmitted via said telecommunication network to the higher level systems (PCT Application WO 96/02044, Int. Cl. G 07 C 13/00, published in 1996).
Disadvantages of this system are the high cost (particularly when taking into account the intended one-fold usage of this system) and necessity for the voters to vote only in a limited number of places specially assigned for voting, i.e., the precincts.